


McKirk 30 Day OTP Challenge

by Corrie71



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: 30 Day OTP Challenge, Academy Era, Angst with a Happy Ending, Disney World & Disneyland, Established Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Holding Hands, Kissing, M/M, Making Out, Post-Narada, Post-Nero, Starfleet Academy, Swearing, Terminal Illnesses, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, post-STID
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-12
Updated: 2014-02-08
Packaged: 2018-01-08 10:30:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 15,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1131582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Corrie71/pseuds/Corrie71
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Series of (mostly) one-shots highlighting Jim and Bones' romantic relationship based on the 30 Day OTP Challenge Prompts. Days 6 through 11 became a stand alone short story as did day 17 and 18.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Day One: Holding Hands

Bones had hated holding hands with Pamela. She’d been over a foot shorter than him so they struggled to align as they walked together. He’d have to slump to the side, like he was doing a bad Igor imitation, while she had to hold her hand at her own shoulder level. They were never comfortable together like that. He’d compensated by placing a hand at the small of her back or putting his arm around her, which she originally said made her feel safe and, by the end of their toxic marriage, complained that he was hovering over her and smothering her. 

So, the first time Jim took his hand, on their first actual date, as they walked to their favorite Chinese food place in San Francisco’s bustling Chinatown, Bones jolted so badly he nearly tumbled into a hover trolley. He glanced down at their clasped palms with surprise and then back up into Jim’s lagoon blue eyes.

“This ok, Bones?” Jim asked. Everything was all so new. They’d been friends for over two years but lovers for only days. Jim, having next to no relationship experience, constantly sought reassurance from Bones. They walked a few steps and, because they were nearly identical heights, holding hands felt comfortable, natural, secure. They fit together, slotting together like jigsaw pieces snapping into place. Bones laced his fingers through Jim’s and smiled at him. Raising their joined hands, he pressed a kiss to their clasped fingers. 

“It’s great, darlin.”


	2. Day Two: Cuddling

“Did you tell anyone that we were staying over winter break?” Jim called through the bathroom door as Bones showered on the morning of their first Saturday of winter break during their first year at the Academy. At his roommate’s negative response, Jim fiddled with the climate control and sent comm messages to anyone in charge he could think of but to no avail. They had no heat and no electricity, in the middle of the worst arctic cold snap San Francisco had seen in years. No one answered Jim’s call for help either. 

“Figures Starfleet would want to save a buck.” Bones groused as he pulled on a third sweatshirt and a second pair of socks. He stole all the blankets off Jim’s bed and burrowed into his own bunk. Jim grabbed his own personal PADD and climbed in next to Bones. 

“Move over.” Jim ordered. 

“You lost, kid? This is my bunk.” 

“You stole all the covers. And you’re shivering. Don’t worry, Doctor, your virtue is safe with me.” 

“Haven’t had any virtue to worry about in years.” Bones groused as he rolled to his side, presenting his back to Jim. Jim flopped down, bouncing the bed, pressing his own back to Bones. After a brief fierce tussle over the covers, they managed to both get covered and comfortable. All that long, cold weekend, they spent curled on Bones’ bed, backs together, shoulder to bottom, warm and cozy together. They passed the time by reading novels on their PADDs and dozing, as it was their first chance to relax at the academy. Their feet tangled together, both wearing two sets of socks, pressing heel to toe, anchoring each other. 

Even years later, they still slept together that way most of the time. According to psychological theory, couples that cuddled back to back, like they did, were comfortable, relaxed, and intimate with each other. Looking back, Bones thought he should have realized where he and Jim were headed much sooner than he did. Though they didn’t get together romantically until mid-way through their third year, there were clear signs they were less than platonic by the middle of their first year. Though, of course, if asked back then, both would have sworn that the cuddling was just for the warmth.


	3. Day Three: Gaming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As should be obvious from reading this, I know next to nothing about gaming. Sorry for any errors and no offense meant to the Halo nation.

When Jim scored the new Z-Box game, Halo 343, before it was even released, their dorm room became party central overnight. Every night, until the wee hours of the morning, Jim hosted what seemed to be half the campus playing the game, eating their weight in junk food, or watching the on-screen antics. 

Introverted Bones could not take this many people making this much of a mess in his space for long. At first, he took refuge in the library to work on his neural grafting research proposal and then, he slept at the medbay for a few nights. The third night he slept there, he returned to their dorm at sunrise to find a bleary eyed Jim, still playing, alone, among the litter of beer cans and chip bags. 

“Kid, you’ve got a gaming addiction.”

“Do not, Bones.” Jim rasped, his voice sounding croaky from disuse.

“How long you been playing that? Have you even been to class this week?”

“Yes, I go to class.” Jim snapped as Bones picked his way through the detritus toward the closet. He kicked several empty energy drink cans out of his way, dread and worry for Jim making his stomach drop. He knew gaming addiction was a real thing and could pop up suddenly. He’d even written a paper about it in med school. 

“How come I never see you here on gaming nights?” Jim said, his fingers still flying over the controls and his eyes never leaving the screen.

“Not my thing. Listen, Jim, you gotta stop this. I live here too…” Bones stood in front of the screen and Jim sighed and paused the game.

“Okay, you want me to stop? Beat me at the game.”

“That’s what it’ll take to get you to stop mainlining sugar and energy drinks and actually, I don’t know, be a Starfleet cadet?” Jim nodded. Bones looked closely at his friend’s red-rimmed, bloodshot eyes, his scruffy, unshaven face, and pale skin. He sighed, placing his hands on his hips, debating with himself internally.

“Unless you think you can’t do it, old man.” Jim taunted. Despite himself, Bones felt a flicker of irritation under the worry for his friend.

“Okay. Here’s the deal. Today is Wednesday…”

“Wednesday! Are you sure it’s not Monday?” Jim held out his hands, palms up. “Joking.”

“If you get some rest and clean up this pig-sty you call a dorm room, I will whip your ass at this game on Saturday night.”

“I’d like to see you whip my ass.” Jim winked at him. Bones raked a hand through his hair. The brat actually winked!

“You can even invite all your little friends over. If you win, you can keep on playing until your fingers fall off with no complaints from me. If I win, you surrender that game to me. But no more playing until then. Cold turkey.” Bones pointed at him. 

”Fair enough.” Jim ended the game and headed for the shower. 

Jim kept his word. He cleaned their room before his first class and, after downing a few more energy drinks to get through Wednesday, slept for a full ten hours that night. By Thursday, after a few good meals, Jim looked and acted much more like his normal self. And the game center stayed off. At seven on Saturday, the Halo Tournament of Champions (Jim’s dumb idea for a name) began, with a standing room only crowd. Everyone wanted to see the golden boy take on his doctor.

“You wanna be John or Cortana?”

“You pick.” Bones shrugged. Three hours later, Bones stood from the sofa, having defeated Jim at every level on the game. He stretched, smiling at his friend’s shocked face, before striding over to the kitchen. “Winning makes me hungry. Is there any of that pizza and beer left?”

Several of the cadets tripped over themselves to hand him refreshments, all in awe of his mad gaming skills. Jim handed off his control to a waiting command cadet—Bones thought his name was Solo or something like it—and strode over to Bones in the kitchenette, his blue eyes stormy. His Jim didn’t like to lose.

“Just where did a doctor learn to play Halo like that? I’ve never even seen some of those sniper moves!” Jim demanded and a hush fell over the kitchen. Bones took another bite of pizza before replying, leaning back against the counter, and crossing his booted feet at the ankles.

“First of all, I’ve got six years of practice on you, kiddo. I was playing Halo before you were done playing with your Starfleet action figures. And second of all, I’m a surgeon. Everyone knows we’re gifted with our hands.” Bones winked at Jim who swallowed convulsively as the crowd laughed. “And finally, what do you think we do over in medbay to pass the time?”

“You play Halo in medbay to pass the time?” Jim repeated dumbly.

“Keeps the fingers nimble.” Bones shrugged and swigged his beer out of a long-necked bottle. 

“You cheated!” Jim howled. “I want a rematch.”

“No way, Jimmy boy. I beat you fair and square. Now, you have to surrender that game to me. We’ll have a good time with it in medbay. And get your little friends to clear out of our room.” Bones patted his shoulder and leaned down to murmur near his friend’s ear. “And if you’re a good boy, maybe I’ll invite you over to medbay to play sometime.”


	4. Day Four: On a Date

“I’ve never been on a date.” Jim announces one night, as they lie curled up in bed together. They’d been friends for two years and, suddenly, somehow, after the second Maru debacle, Bones kissed Jim to cheer him up. They’d tumbled into bed together and discovered how well they fit but, other than going to classes, they hadn’t done much outside of bed in the last three months. 

“Kid, I was your wingman for years. Of course…”

“No, I’ve had a lot of hook-ups…too many to count, actually. But no actual dates.” Jim shakes his head on the pillow.

“Never?” Bones raises his head to look at Jim’s face, sure he’s putting him on. Jim gives him a pouty smile and shakes his head. “I can fix that, if you’d like.”

“You’re asking me out on a date?”

“Sure, why not? Keep next Saturday free, okay?” Jim nods and then spends the next three days pestering Bones to tell him where he’s going to take him.

“I need to know what to wear.” Jim tries on Thursday night. 

“Jeans and a t-shirt will be fine. Wear comfy shoes. Nothing fancy, kiddo.” Bones laughs. “And you sound like a girl.”

After a quick breakfast on Saturday morning, Bones takes Jim’s hand and leads him to the public shuttle bays. Bones distracts Jim with a kiss so he won’t discover their destination but he quickly tries to figure it out once they are airborne. “We’re heading south. Are we going to LA? San Diego? Cabo?” 

Bones watches Jim’s face as they sail over the confection of a pink castle below and Jim spots the Mickey Mouse plastered to the side of the ferris wheel. 

“Bones, you’re taking me to Disneyland?” Jim turns to Bones and gives him a wide, beaming smile that makes the quick shuttle flight worth it.

“Only if you promise to ride Space Mountain with me.” 

“My aviaphobic boyfriend is going to ride an ancient roller coaster with me. It must be love.” 

“Yeah, it sure is, kid.” Bones leans over and gives Jim a kiss on the cheek. He loves seeing the childlike joy and glee on Jim’s face. From what he knows of his beloved’s childhood, he didn’t have much happiness back then. Seeing Jim happy makes Bones happy. He knows he’s in over his head and sinking fast but he’s too damn happy to care.

“I love you too, Bones.” Jim said. “Race ya down Main Street.”

“Infant.” Bones says and then takes off running after Jim, joy filling him as he hears Jim’s laugh echo behind him.


	5. Day Five: Kissing

Before he began dating Bones, Jim just didn’t see the point of kissing if it didn’t lead anywhere, of kisses just for the sake of kissing and no more. But then, he’d never been in an adult relationship before. And kissing turned out to be one of the hardest things he had to learn as Bones’ significant other.

Not the hot, wet, scorching kisses that led directly to bed (or the nearest available surface.) Jim considered himself fairly talented at those. And had to concede that his doctor had skills in that arena too.

But Bones loved the little everyday kisses. And Jim didn’t know what to do with those.

Bones would brush his lips over Jim’s cheek or temple before parting for the day.

He’d buss his cheek when they reunited again—whether it had been a hour or all day. 

Every night, before they fell asleep in each other’s arms, Bones insisted on his good night kiss.

All this kissing bewildered Jim but he tried to tolerate it with good natured grace, because it seemed to make Bones happy. 

But, he never initiated one of these simple, every day kisses for months after they were together. Then, one day in the mess hall, Jim stood to leave for class and, without conscious forethought, leaned down and brushed his lips over Bones’ cheek. Bones stopped talking mid-sentence, raising an eyebrow at Jim, and then gave him a brilliant smile. Jim returned it and walked away, thinking he might be getting the hang of being a boyfriend after all.


	6. Day Six: Wearing Each Other's Clothes

“Jim, can I borrow your leather jacket?” Bones called from the bathroom of their tiny dorm room in the fall of their third year. Jim roused from his sulking over failing the Maru—again. 

“What do you need a leather jacket for?” Jim stood from the couch, stretched and walked to the bathroom. He leaned on the doorjam and peeked in. And just stared. 

Bones stood at the counter, dressed in worn, faded jeans so tight that they were probably cutting off his circulation and a white t-shirt that stretched tightly across his toned chest. Jim thought it might be his because it was way too small across Bones’ shoulders. He fussed with his dark hair, pulling it up into spikes. He hadn’t shaved so stubbled darkened his cheeks, making him look even more sexy than usual.

“What are you wearing?” Jim squeaked. 

“Costume.” Bones answered with an eye roll. 

“Who are you supposed to be?” Jim managed, feeling like he should roll his tongue back into his mouth. Bones would stop traffic with this look. He clenched his hands into fists by his side. Just friends, he reminded himself. They were just friends. 

“Declan O’Connor.”

“James Bond’s son?” Now that Bones said it, Jim could see it. Declan suffered from a rebellious youth before becoming one of the biggest holo-vid franchises of their day. “Don’t you need a side kick for that? Who’s going to play Mikey?”

Bones didn’t answer that directly but a blush ghosted over his cheekbones. “Always hated dressing up for Halloween.”

“Are you actually going to the Starfleet Medical Halloween Bash this year?” 

“No, I thought I’d wear this for a night of studying!”

“You haven’t gone the past two years.”

“The last two years, I didn’t have a date.”

“A date?!” Jim’s shock must have shown on his face because Bones rolled his eyes.

“Can I borrow the jacket or not?” Bones raked his hands through his hair, making a bigger mess of the already messy spikes. Just friends. Bones was not interested in him as anything more than a friend. Who could his date be?

“Course.” Jim walked across the room and retrieved his battered coat from the closet. He tossed it to Bones as he walked out of the bathroom. Bones shrugged into it. Jim’s heart did a slow roll. Bones stuck his arms out and turned. The jeans curved to his perfect plush bottom. 

Jim’s resolve to keep his hands to himself was just on the verge of shattering when the doorbell chimed. Jim opened it to find a guy about his height with dark blonde hair and brown eyes. He wore black leather pants topped with a red checkered flannel shirt, halfway undone on his chest. Jim’s eyes widened as he recognized the costume.

“You’re Mikey?” Jim stammered. 

“I’m Luke. You must be Jim. Leo’s told me a lot about you.” With an easy smile, Luke extended his hand and Jim took it. Bones’ date was a guy? 

“Hey, Luke.” Bones crowded Jim out of the way of the door. 

“You look great, Leo.”

“See ya, Jim. Don’t wait up.” Bones called, tugging Luke out into the hallway. Jim heard Luke call back “Nice to meet you, Jim.”

Jim sat down on the sofa, staring at the blank holo-screen across from him in utter shock. Thus far, Bones had only ever shown an interest in women, even dating a professor last year. When Jim had realized his own inconvenient crush, he’d figured Bones would never be interested in a guy. Especially a guy like Jim. But now…

Jim lay back on the sofa to strategize, smiling at the hopeful, buoyant feeling in his chest. He’d just seen Bones go off on a date—with a guy that bore more than a passing resemblance to Jim himself. Now that he knew it was possible, he just needed to figure out how to get his man.


	7. Day Seven: Shopping

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a continuation of the story from yesterday. We’re going to go out of order on the prompts for the next couple of days to resolve this Luke storyline that popped up.

“So, how’d your date go?” Jim asked casually as they walked among the vendors at the farmer’s market on the bright, cheerful Sunday morning the day after the Halloween party. 

“Fine.” Bones rubbed the back of his neck and did not look at Jim. He seemed fascinated with a display of oranges instead, picking each one up and examining them carefully, before placing them back on the rack.

“You were home early.” Not that Jim had been lying in his lonely bunk waiting to see if Bones would spend the night out with Luke or anything. He just had happened to be awake when Bones came home. And he had just happened to notice that his friend was home before midnight. And if his doctor’s lips looked a little swollen and there might have been the smallest of love bites on his neck, Jim did not at all spend the rest of the night sulkily imagining planting his fist in Luke’s pretty boy face. “How was the party?”

“Oh, you know how those things are. Lots of chit-chat and rubbing elbows. I know you command types love it but…” Bones shrugged, examining a basket of Vulcan berries. “Not my thing. Luke and I ditched after an hour and went to get something to eat.”

Jim’s stomach dropped. First of all, this was why Bones should have taken Jim to the party. Jim loved to chat with people and would have gotten Bones to mix and mingle which would have been good for his career. And then he could have been the one laughing with Bones in some late night greasy food joint. And then the one kissing his Bones goodnight instead of some pretty boy that looked good in a costume. To prevent himself from saying any of that, Jim carefully loaded apples into their bag. “So, you met Luke at…”

“The medbay.”

Jim waited for Bones to elaborate but when he didn’t, he asked, “He’s a doctor too then?”

“Yeah.” Bones said. Jim thought of an expression that his grandmother used to use---like pulling hen’s teeth. 

“He seemed nice. I mean, I didn’t get to chat with him or anything since you left like your hair was on fire but, he’s nice.” Nice and boring. Bones didn’t need boring. Bones needed…well, someone not boring.

“Yep.” Bones nodded, studying different types of lettuce as though there would be a quiz later.

“Maybe you and Luke and me and Gaila could grab dinner sometime?” Jim watched Bones carefully from under his lashes as he waited in line to pay. Jim had about a thousand questions ranging from how they’d met to whether they’d slept together to why Luke and not Jim. And clearly, he had little hope of getting them answered by Bones. Gaila could get a rock to talk though so she’d probably help and perhaps Jim could get Luke to be more forthcoming.

“Maybe.” Bones shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest and staring up at the fluffy clouds. 

“Unless you’re not going to see him again?”

“No, I think I’ll see him again.” Bones did that adorable blushing thing again that made Jim want to wind his fist in Bones’ ratty UMiss t-shirt and yank him across rows of vegetables separating them and plant a kiss right on those full, pouty lips. _Concentrate, Kirk!_

“Great. I’ll set it up with Gaila for Friday.”


	8. Day Eight: Hanging Out With Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have three more days of prompts to resolve this short story that popped up. Even though things look challenging for our heroes, I promise it will end happily.

“You know, I think General Pashti spent less time planning the invasion of Sufa than you spent on this.” Gaila giggled at Jim. He’d been in her dorm room every night for the past week planning their double date with Bones and Luke. He knew that Bones and Luke went for coffee on Tuesday and he thought they’d had a lunch date yesterday but as Bones was still doing his impression of a clam, Jim really wasn’t sure. And he was trying not to panic. 

“This is serious! You’re going to help me, right?”

“Relax, Jim. Whoever this Luke is, anyone who has seen your doctor look at you would know he doesn’t stand a chance.”

When Jim hadn’t been planning the date, he’d been working on gathering intel on just who this Luke person was. And if he’d had to use his considerable hacking skills to do it, well, all was fair in love and war. And this was a little bit of both.

“Lucas Kearney. He’s a doctor too. Pediatric specialty. He’s a year behind Bones but four years younger.”

“You’re six years younger.”

Jim ignored her. “If this medical school transcript is anything to go by, he’s nowhere near as smart as Bones.” 

“You’re looking at medical school transcripts now?” Gaila raised her brows at Jim. “Don’t you think you’re getting a bit crazy?”

“Maybe.” Jim answered sulkily. “By all accounts, he’s a really nice guy and no one has anything bad to say about him. Which means he’s probably a serial killer.”

“He’s not a serial killer. I suppose advising you to just talk to Leonard is a waste of time.”

“What am I supposed to say? Hey, I had no idea you were into guys. Why didn’t you ask me out instead?”

“Terrans confuse me. If you love him, why not just say so?”

“I don’t…” Jim started to deny it but Gaila just looked at him. “I can’t just say that. I can’t.”

“Coward.” Gaila smiled. “Let’s go over the plan again.”

* * *

Gaila and Jim got to the small diner near the medbay first and staked out a booth where they could observe the entrance. Jim watched Luke stand outside and wait for Bones. Bones arrived and leaned in to kiss Luke briefly on the mouth. Jim ground his teeth while Gaila laughed at him. Bones took Luke’s hand and led him into the restaurant. 

They slid into the booth across from Gaila and Jim. Jim performed the introductions. He let them peruse the menus for a bit, assessing his opening gambit, and observed Bones and Luke from under his lashes. He scowled when the two doctors and Gaila ordered salads and ordered the biggest hamburger on the menu instead, ignoring Bones huffy sigh when he did.

“So, Luke, tell us how you meet Bones?” Jim smiled brightly, dazzlingly at Luke as Bones gave Jim a wary look.

“We worked together on a case—a little girl got hit by a hover bike.” Jim recalled the case Luke mentioned. Bones had to do a 15 hour surgery but the child lived and last he heard, the girl was fine. Jim remembered it because he’d brought Bones his cadet reds so he could make it class on time that day, just at the start of the semester. So, he’d known Luke for just a few months then. “Since then, I’ve been dropping by the ER to spend more time with the hottest trauma surgeon at Starfleet medical.”

Interesting, thought Jim, Bones hadn’t been the one doing the pursuing, as he watched Bones blush. Luke, being a genuinely nice person, asked how Jim and Gaila met, just as their meals were served.

“We are fuck buddies.” Gaila said with a smile. Bones choked on his chicken and Luke flushed. So, Bones and Luke weren’t sleeping together, yet. “Is that not the right word, Jim?”

Jim shrugged, his eyes on Luke and ignoring Bones glaring at him. “We’re friends.”

“I do not understand this. You and Bones are friends but you don’t…”

“Gaila, sweetheart, how are your classes going?” Bones spoke over her as Jim’s eyes met his across the table. Gaila chattered for a bit about her classes, being her genuinely sweet and charming self. They all groused about professors and classes, talking comfortably. Jim watched as Luke took Bones’ hand. Though Bones didn’t protest, he also didn’t make any gestures of affection himself. Jim thought that was a good sign but then considered Bones’ normally taciturn disposition. Perhaps he just wasn’t a PDA person. 

“So, Luke, tell me all about the Halloween party. Bones won’t tell me a thing.” Jim smiled, his patented charming smile, telling himself this was good practice for future diplomatic missions. “Who came up with the idea for those fabulous costumes?”

“That was me. We looked good though, didn’t we, Bones?” At the use of his nickname, both Jim and Bones froze and locked gazes.

Gaila laughed, trying to defuse the tension as Luke glanced from Jim to Bones. “Only Jim calls Leonard Bones, Luke.” 

“It’s fine.” Bones said and Jim narrowed his eyes. No one, absolutely no one, got to call Leonard Bones but him. Bones was his, from that first moment on the shuttle, even if Bones didn’t realize it yet.

“I guess I’ll have to find another pet name.” Luke said.

Jim hated him. And knew he was being utterly ridiculous and totally irrational because if he’d met Luke in any other circumstance, he would have considered him a perfectly nice person. He was perfectly nice, perfectly boring, perfectly ordinary. Not at all perfect for his Bones.

“Well, we’re off to catch a holo-vid. Unless you all would like to join us?” Luke said, after they’d all declined dessert. Jim was fairly certain he’d be up on murder charges if he had to watch Bones and Luke make out in a cinema so he declined. Besides, he and Gaila needed to regroup and figure out the next line of attack. They waved them off and Jim walked back to the dorm with Gaila, ignoring the starry night sky and pouting. 

“He’s awful.”

“Yes, just despicable.” Gaila giggled. “He’s perfectly nice.”

“I’m perfectly nice.”

“And he’s handsome.”

“I’m handsome.”

“He’s a doctor so he’s smart too.”

“I’m smart.” 

“Careful, Jim, you’ll turn as green as me.” 

“Gaila, you’re not really helping.” Jim whined. 

“Jim, you know I don’t understand the complexities of Terran relationships. I do have one observation though I suspect you won’t like hearing it.”

“Go on.” Jim braced himself, certain that whatever the Orion girl would say would hurt.

“You didn’t know Bones was into guys, yes?” Jim nodded. “But, Jim, your Bones knew you are…”

“Bisexual.” Jim supplied the Terran word and Gaila rolled her eyes at the Terran insistence on labeling things.

“And yet, he did not make a move. I have to ask, why?”

“I don’t know. But I’m going to find out.”


	9. Day Nine: Making Out

When Bones didn’t come home that night, Jim thought he would actually die of jealousy. He considered several times heading out to his favorite dives to find someone to share the night with but, for the first time in his life, he wanted someone that he just couldn’t have. Only Bones would satisfy him. 

It wasn’t like Bones hadn’t stayed out all night before. Hell, when he’d dated Elizabeth Dehner, Jim barely saw him for months. He lay awake for hours, tormenting himself with imagining Bones and the perfect Luke entwined together before finally falling into an unsettled sleep near dawn.

Bones finally wandered in, after his walk of shame, late on Saturday morning. By then, Jim had been up for several hours, pretending to study. Jim waved at him from the couch, trying really hard to ignore the love bite on Bones’ neck. Bones headed into the shower and came out, dressed casually in worn jeans and a faded red U-Miss shirt. Jim noticed the hickey was gone and knew Bones must have used his dermal regenerator to take away the mark. Jim had no idea why that made him even more angry. He clenched the PADD so tightly his fingertips turned white as he fought his urge to pitch it at Bones’ stubborn, thick head.

“So, stayed the night, huh?” Jim hoped that his tone was joking and that he didn’t sound like a jealous five year old. He suspected that he failed completely.

Bones shrugged, settling into his desk chair and pulling a PADD toward him. “Thanks for setting up dinner with Gaila. Luke really liked you guys.”

“He seems nice.” Jim forced out through his clenched teeth. Bones glanced up at him. Their gazes locked and held, hazel boring into blue. Bones raised an eyebrow at him. Something in Jim snapped then, after his long, sleepless night, seething with jealousy. He unfolded himself from the sofa and strode across the room, Bones watching him warily. He reached the desk and spun Bones chair around so Bones faced him. 

“No one gets to call you Bones but me.” Jim leaned down into Bones’ personal space, his hands on the chair arms, pressing Bones against the back of the chair. This close, Jim saw the flecks of honey and green in Bones’ hazel eyes and watched his lashes flutter shut as he tilted his face up to Jim. Bones’ hands came up to fist in Jim’s shirt, either to pull him closer or push him away. 

Instead of kissing him, Jim bent his head to suck on Bones’ neck, just over the love bite he’d sported earlier, bruising him again. In some small, primitive part of his brain, Jim recognized the action as primal, marking Bones as his own. But then, Bones moaned, low and deep, before running his hands up Jim’s shoulders and into his hair, pressing him closer. 

“You know, you didn’t have to go get a lookalike. You could have just had me.” Jim whispered near his ear. 

“Maybe I didn’t want to be another of your conquests.” Bones said, his voice rough and breathless. 

Jim’s rational mind clicked off as he licked his way up Bones’ neck to capture his mouth, kissing him, plundering his mouth with his tongue, taking all he could get, fisting his hands in his dark hair. Bones opened for him, nipping at Jim’s lower lip, sending a shudder of aching want through him. Jim straddled Bones’ lap, grinding himself against him, as Bones pressed himself up, seeking friction and contact and heat. 

Then the chair snapped, sending them both tumbling to the floor, in a tangled heap. They separated, both breathing heavily, staring at each other’s shocked faces.


	10. Day Ten: Arguing

“You broke my chair!” Bones said, pushing Jim away, and standing, his breathing still rough and uneven. Bones set the chair up against the door and leaned against his desk. He rubbed his fingers over the bridge of his nose, like he was praying for patience. 

“Who cares about the chair? I want an answer. A real answer this time, not some crap about conquests.” Jim sat on the floor, admiring his handiwork at making a total mess of his friend. He loved seeing Bones’ kiss-swollen mouth and messy hair from Jim’s fists twining in it. He wanted to see Bones look like that naked spread against the sheets on his bed. Plus, Jim noted with deep, primitive satisfaction, that his love bite was much bigger than the one Luke had left Bones with. Harder to fix with the regen then. 

“What’s the question?” 

“Why not me?” Jim ground out, still a little shocked at how combustible he and Bones were together. If the chair hadn’t shattered, they’d been less than three minutes from tumbling into bed together. 

“I could ask you the very same question! I’m the one who’s watched you horn dog it up with every person here—other than me—for the last two years.” Bones ran his hand through his hair, trying to press it down and making an even bigger mess.

“So?”

“So what? I was supposed to get in the queue?” Bones snapped. “Maybe I don’t like to share.”

Jim stood up, bracing his hands on either side of Bones, crowding him against the desk. Bones, for his part, did not back down so they ended up pressed chest to chest. He placed his hands on Jim’s shoulders, pushing him back slightly. Still, even with their bodies scant inches apart, the scorching heat they created between them burned through Jim. 

“I don’t like to share either.” Jim rasped, pressing closer to Bones, aligning their hips and feeling the evidence of Bones’ desire for him against him. 

“You are such a child. I finally have a great guy who is…”

“Boring.” Jim nuzzled Bones’ neck but his friend pushed him away.

“Who is not an egotistical, irresponsible brat. And you just can’t stand it.”

“You’ll be bored within a week. I never bore you.” Jim kissed him then, pouring all his need and frustration and jealousy into the kiss, biting Bones’ lower lip. Bones kissed him back, deep and passionate, both of them fighting for dominance and control. 

Bones tore his mouth away and gasped out, “Jim, stop this. I have a boyfriend.” 

“He’s your boyfriend now after three dates and one night in bed? No, I’m your friend, Bones. Me.” Jim nipped at his earlobe. “He’s just some guy you fucked.”

“I didn’t sleep with Luke, you ridiculous, jealous infant. And I don’t want to be just some guy you fucked, Jim.” Bones pushed him away, sadly. “That’s always been the problem with being in love with you.”

Bones grabbed his PADD and savagely kicked the broken chair away from the door as he walked out, leaving an open mouthed Jim behind him.


	11. Day Eleven: Making Up Afterwards

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Posting a bit early for iseult1124 who wanted to see our boys make up...

Gaila dropped into the seat across from Bones in the mess hall later that evening. “Where is your handsome friend?”

“I haven’t seen Jim.” Bones rasped, stabbing a carrot with more force than necessary and snapping the cheap Starfleet fork in half.

“I meant Luke.” Gaila winked at him, catching the carrot as it skidded across the table.

Bones shrugged. “We broke up.” 

“Did he figure out that you’re madly in love with Jim?” Gaila stole a cucumber off his plate and bit into it delicately, as she watched Bones. Bones threw his broken fork down on the tray and rubbed his hands over his face. “Would it help you to know that he loves you just as much?”

“Gaila, sweetheart, I know you mean well…”

“Leonard, I love Jim too.” Here she held up a hand, palm out. “Not the same way Terrans do. No need to get upset. He’s always been possessive about you but I’ve never seen him so…crazed and jealous as he was all this last week.” 

“I really don’t see where he gets off being jealous about anything. I’ve spent the last two and a half years watching him sleep with anyone that takes his fancy. He never paid me the slightest bit of attention. Then I go out on a few dates and he decides to pull this ridiculous caveman act.”

“Jim didn’t know you were open to other genders, Leonard.” Gaila pointed out, gently. Bones stared at her for a second, stunned into silence, before standing up to head back to the dorm. As he walked down the hall from the staircase, Jim came out of the turbo lift at the far end, pushing a plush looking desk chair. They stopped in front of their door, staring at each other with the chair between them.

“Got you a new chair.” Jim finally broke the silence. “You want to come in and sit down in it? I promise not to sit on your lap again.” Bones pressed his palm against the door lock and it hissed open. He gestured Jim inside and watched as his friend carefully placed the chair behind Bones’ desk. 

Jim strode across the room and flopped onto the sofa. He noticed that, though it had happened hours ago, he could still see the bruise he’d put on Bones’ neck. He thought it was a good sign that Bones hadn’t erased it with his regenerator. Bones shifted on his feet and finally rested his jean clad hip on the desk, crossing his arms over his chest. The silence between them should have felt awkward after their fight this morning. Instead, Jim felt like they were teetering on the edge of their relationship either fracturing forever or changing into together forever. 

“Jim, we can just forget any of this ever happened…” 

‘I don’t think I can forget.” Jim crossed his arms over his chest, mirroring Bones. “I don’t want to forget, Bones.”

“All this time, kid, you’d screw anything that you took a liking to but, when it came to me…”

“I didn’t think you were into guys and I thought if I made a move, I’d end up punched for my efforts. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to, Bones. It was that I wanted you too much.”

“It seems we have a bit of a misunderstanding, darlin.’” Bones crossed the room to sit next to Jim. His warmth and the citrus undertones in his cologne made Jim’s head swim. How had he fallen so hard and so fast? Bones cupped his face, running his thumb over Jim’s cheekbone. 

“I’m sorry I waited too long to tell you how much I love you.” Jim said before he sucked in a breath and prepared to sacrifice his own happiness for Bones. “Luke’s a nice guy, Bones.” 

“He is but he’s not for me.” Bones pressed his forehead pressing against Jim’s forehead, cupping the back of Jim’s neck. “It seems I have a fondness for infants with a hero complex instead.”

“Bones, are you sure we’re not going to regret crossing the line like this?”

“Kid, my gram used to tell me you regret the things in life that you don’t do.”

“I’d definitely regret not doing you.” 

Bones laughed as Jim’s arms came up to wrap around him. “Now, darlin,’ we have some making up to do.”


	12. Day Twelve: Doing Something Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now back to our regularly scheduled fluff...

“A shared hobby is the key to a lasting relationship.” Jim cheerfully reminded Bones, as they swam back to the dock, leaving the fishing boat they’d rented under three feet of water. “We just have to figure out what shared interest we’re good at.”

“You capsized the sailboat. You drove us into a water trap in a golf cart—in reverse. Damnit, man! You just sunk our fishing boat. Not to mention the camping disaster…” Bones pulled himself up onto the dock at Tybee Island and laid on his stomach on the weather roughened boards, catching his breath. Though it was a warm day, the stiff breeze made his soaked clothing uncomfortable. He really just wanted to go lay in a hammock and doze. 

“The bears were not my fault.” Jim protested as he dragged himself out of the water next to Bones.

“Never again.”

“I just want us to do something together. Have some interest that we share.”

“We work together. We live together. We spend every shore leave together. Isn’t that enough?”

Jim pouted. “Not according to the holo-mags.”

“Would you stop reading those!” When Jim and Bones first started dating, Jim spent hours studying all the ways to be a good boyfriend. His favorite sources for information were women’s holo-mags, no matter how often Bones told him they were ridiculous and wrong. “You want to know my favorite thing that we do together?”

“Sexual stuff doesn’t count. I already looked for that loophole.” Jim patted Bones’ back. He shook him off and rolled over, sitting up in his drenched clothing. 

“I love laying next to you in bed, reading on our PADDs together or watching a vid. That’s the only time I think we both relax. Do you like that?”

“Yes but… I just want to be a good partner to you.” Jim worried his bottom lip. Bones put his arm around him. 

“Jim, you are. You are already the perfect partner. That’s why I chose you.” Bones leaned over and kissed him briefly on the cheek. “I’m going to the hotel to change and then I’m spending the rest of this vacation lying in a hammock.”

He stood and extended a hand to Jim. “You coming?”


	13. Day Thirteen: Formal Wear

“I hate this crap.” Bones tugged at the stiff collar of his formal dress uniform as he trailed behind Jim into the reception in his honor at Starfleet Medical. After their second five year mission, both he and Jim took dirt side postings. He’d gotten command of Starfleet Medical while Jim headed up the command track at the Academy. 

“Bones, it’s easy. Just some chit-chat and rubbing elbows. Everyone wants to meet the hot new head of Starfleet Medical.”

“It’s easy for you, Mr. Diplomat. You’re all charming and handsome.”

“You’re handsome. And sometimes charming too. Now here comes Admiral Edwards. He’s a bit hard of hearing so speak up.” Jim shook hands with the ancient, wizened Admiral, who looked like nothing so much as a snapping turtle with wisps of cotton stuck around his bald head.

“Bones McCoy.” Bones blurted as he stuck out his hand.

“Bones?” Admiral Edwards shouted back, the sound echoing above the clink of silverware and chatter of attendees. 

“Call me Leonard.” Bones wished the floor would swallow him as he felt color creep up his face. Bones shook Edwards’ hand and he shuffled away.

“Did you just introduce yourself as Bones?” Jim giggled next to him.

“Give me a break. I’m nervous, dammit.” Bones itched to go over to the bar and order a double but didn’t think that slugging back alcohol in his formal change of command ceremony would make the best first impression.

“Nervous? You’re a superstar doctor. The youngest head of Starfleet Medical ever.”

“Don’t remind me.” Bones shuddered. “I may throw up on ya.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time.” Jim smiled at him, straightening his collar, his nimble fingers warm on Bones’ neck. “Anyway, I think it should be Bones Kirk.”

“Is that your dumbass way of proposing to me?” Bones raised his eyebrow at a blushing Jim. Only Jim would propose in the midst of a formal reception. 

“Must be the sight of you in that dress uniform.” Jim winked at Bones. 

“You could be Rear Admiral McCoy.” Bones looked into Jim’s amazing eyes and suddenly felt less nervous, more centered. He glanced back at the room and clasped Jim’s hand, winding their fingers together. Though still daunted by the task in front of him, Bones knew he could face it. He had Jim by his side. 

“Did you just agree to marry me?” 

“Must be the sight of you in that dress uniform, darlin.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've updated the summary and the tags for this fic. If you see or know of any more that I should add, please let me know. I also may have to kick the rating up to teen or mature eventually.


	14. Day Fourteen: Animal Ears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Bones gets a blast from his past...

After the Narada incident, everyone wanted a piece of the newest Starfleet heroes. Starfleet took full advantage of the PR boon by booking the Enterprise crew into every publicity venue possible. No doubt some muckety-muck figured the holo-vids and holo-photos would help with recruiting. Some were heart-wrenching, like visiting the children’s wards in the hospital, some were dull, like formal dinner fundraisers, and some were just plain fun, like the pub crawl to benefit the San Francisco Zoo. 

For the pub crawl, each participant had to dress like their favorite animal. Jim picked out tigers for both he and Bones. Before the pub crawl, Jim got his face painted to add to his striped ears and tail. Bones flat refused either the face painting or the tail. He also wouldn’t even consider putting a tiger print t-shirt on over his black long-sleeved shirt and worn blue jeans. He did allow Jim to place a pair of animal ears in his hair before grumpily demanding his first drink.

At twilight, they were not yet drunk, just pleasantly buzzed, walking hand in hand down the street slightly behind the rest of the bridge crew, carried along with the pub crawl crowd. Jim reached up to straighten Bones’ tiger ears, laughing in a way that Bones hadn’t seen since they boarded the Enterprise, and Bones couldn’t help but press a brief kiss to his mouth, even with the holo-paparazzi looking on.

“Leo?” A woman’s voice said from behind Jim’s shoulder. It’d been so long since anyone had called Bones that that Bones didn’t respond until she called his name again. He glanced over Jim’s shoulder into the soulful brown eyes of…

“Pamela?”

Jim didn’t seem to realize that two worlds had just collided in the middle of Lombard Street for poor Bones. He fumbled with the animal ears on Bones’ head. Because what else would he rather be wearing when he ran into his ex-wife? 

“Leo, it’s so good to see you.” Pamela smiled and Bones felt nothing, just blank and shocked. What was Pamela doing here?

“They won’t stay in your hair, Bones. Your hair is so silky and smooth and soft.” Jim caressed his head then pressed a sloppy kiss to his cheek. Bones yanked his arms down and turned him to face Pamela. 

“Jim, this is Pamela…uh…”

“McCoy,” she said. Jim jolted against Bones’ side and straightened. Without even looking, Bones knew that he’d plastered his charming diplomat smile on. 

“James Kirk.” Jim extended his hand and, in one of the more surreal moments of his life, Bones watched his lover shake hands with his ex-wife as the holo-press snapped photos and his co-workers looked on.

“Yes, I recognize you from the holo-vids. You’re even more handsome in person.” Jim wrapped his arm around Bones’ waist as Pamela smiled at him.

“We’re doing a pub crawl. To benefit a zoo. That’s why I’m wearing these.” Bones waved in the direction of his head and trailed off. 

“I’m here for a convention. We should grab a drink sometime.” Pamela smiled and he felt Jim vibrate against his side. Jealous Jim was not something he particularly wanted to cope with in this moment.

“We’re very busy getting the Enterprise ready to go.” Bones fibbed. Pamela glanced at his tiger ears and raised her eyebrows in that condescending way that used to make Leo feel lower than a snake’s belly. He straightened his shoulders and smiled at her.

“Yes, we’d better be going.” Jim clasped hands with Bones and tugged him along, past Pamela to the brightly lit raw bar down the street.

“Leo.” She called and Bones turned back, still holding Jim’s hand. “I’m glad you’re doing so well.”

Bones nodded and, as soon as he and Jim were out of earshot, Jim said, “We can go home if you want. I can make an excuse. They’ll all just think we’re tearing each other’s clothes off again.”

“That’s ok, Jim. I’m fine.” Bones pressed a kiss to the back of Jim’s hand and led him into the bar to be with their friends. As they walked through the door, he glanced back at the woman he’d once made vows with, who he’d intended to live his life with, have kids with, grow old with, all he could feel was gratitude for whatever lucky star gave him Jim.


	15. Day Fifteen: Different Clothing Style

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim gets a new favorite item of clothing...

“I’m not going anywhere with you wearin’ that ridiculous shirt.” Bones gestured to the tank top Jim sported over his garishly bright swim trunks. Having only just finally acted on their feelings, they were indulging in their first shore leave together.

When they’d arrived on Risa the night before and picked up some sundries at the resort store, Jim found a t-shirt that made him cackle with glee. He’d refused to let Bones see it before he purchased it. Now, he stood in front of Bones, modeling a skin-tight black tank top that bore the legend, in vibrant, neon script: “I like my men how I like my tea, sweet, strong, and Southern.”

“It’s totally true!” 

“I am not sweet.”

“I see you don’t object to the strong and Southern part.”

“Jim, you cannot go out in public wearing that. What if someone from Starfleet sees you? Or a holo-pap takes a picture?”

Jim barked out a laugh and wound his arms around Bones’ neck. “I love this shirt. I bought it just for you. And I don’t care who sees me. Didn’t we agree? I’m yours and you’re mine.” 

Jim pressed his lips against Bones’ lush mouth and steered him back toward the oversized, luxurious bed. Jim’s shirt was one of the first articles of clothing to hit the floor. They never made it out of bed that day to enjoy the Risian sunshine. Jim ended up wearing the shirt to the beach for a moonlight stroll until Bones spotted the glow in the dark script. He promptly stripped it off of Jim to pull him into their private steam-pool for a midnight skinny dip.

Wearing the shirt resulted in Jim immediately being stripped naked every time by a mortified Bones. Before they left Risa, he bought a dozen identical ones. Jim was taking no chances with his new favorite shirt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a link to the shirt Jim is wearing (I first got the idea from Tumblr):
> 
>  
> 
> http://www.lookhuman.com/design/19743-i-like-my-tea-how-i-like-my-men


	16. Day Sixteen: Eating Ice Cream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim celebrates with Bones...

“You look mighty proud of yourself.” Jim commented as Bones strode back into their dorm room, during the last week of classes their second year.

“I just found out I’m going to be an MD squared.” He fought the smile that threatened to overtake his face. He had a curmudgeonly reputation to uphold, after all. 

“Your neural grafting thesis!” Jim cried, dropping his PADD and leaping up to pull Bones into a back-slapping hug. “That’s great, man!”

“Thanks for helping me edit it.” Bones clapped him on the shoulder. Jim was the first person he wanted to share his good news with and Bones was trying not to analyze what that meant. They were friends, that was all. “Doctor Ellis mentioned there might even be a commendation in it for me.” 

Bones walked over to gather his civilian clothes to change as Jim said, “This calls for a celebration! Get dressed, Bones!”

“Jim, finals are next week. I gotta study.”

“We’ll make it a quick celebration. No alcohol.”

“When have we ever celebrated without alcohol?” Bones laughed but changed into jeans and a battered green U-Miss t-shirt, tossing a worn jean jacket over it to ward of the city’s spring chill. Instead of heading towards the street full of campus bars, Jim led him to the hover-trolley station.

“We’re going into the city?”

“Yep. I have an idea.” Jim navigated them to Fisherman’s Wharf and led them into Ghiradelli’s. Although the chocolate and ice cream shop was over three hundred years old, it still did a roaring business. Everyone knew the best chocolate in San Francisco was at Ghiradelli’s.

Jim and Bones found seats at the counter, overlooking the bay. Jim disappeared into the order line to return fifteen minutes later with a giant banana split. He placed the whipped cream covered confection in front of Bones and handed him a spoon. 

“Go ahead. You get first bite.” 

“You remembered?” When out drinking one night, early in their Academy days, Bones told Jim that his parents used to treat him and his sisters to banana splits whenever they had a childhood accomplishment to celebrate. Bones hadn’t had one since the day he’d graduated from medical school when his dad snuck him out for a treat before the graduation ceremony. 

“I remember everything you say, Bones. Okay, I’ve never had one of these. How do we eat it?” 

“You’ve never had a banana split?” Bones asked incredulously. “You’re in for a treat, kid.”

Together, they demolished the treat, watching sailboats scud along the sparkling bay as mist rolled in to cover the top of the bridge. For several moments, Bones couldn’t identify the buoyant feeling swelling in his chest but then he recognized it, looking at Jim’s bright eyes and proud grin: happiness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you’re familiar with Ghiradelli Square, I’ve taken some liberties with the layout here. I don’t think it has either a counter or views of the bay. Still, could have been remodeled in the last few centuries ;-)


	17. Day Seventeen: Doing Something Ridiculous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim helps with Starfleet Recruiting...

When Bones walked into Starfleet Medical and first saw the recruiting poster, he stopped so dead that three people walked into his back. He just stared at the photo, jaw agape. Jim stood, leaning against a wall, in a tight heathered black t-shirt. He’d tucked his chin down, that flirty smile that got him anything—or anyone-- he wanted on his full lips. The stubble darkening his jaw only served to contrast with his amazing, cornflower blue eyes. He pointed his finger at the camera, in imitation of the historic Uncle Sam posters. “I want you for Starfleet Academy” emblazoned across the poster in white type. 

Two nurses walked in behind Bones, still standing there as if rooted to the spot.

“I’d sign up for Starfleet Academy in a heartbeat if he was warming my bunk.” One of the nurses, who was old enough to be Jim Kirk’s grandmother, said. 

“Captain Flirt is a hottie, that’s for sure.” Her colleague agreed.

When they turned the corner, Bones gently ripped the ridiculous poster down and carried it to his locker. He couldn’t display it in their dorm room because Jim had a big enough ego as it was. He’d be completely unbearable if Bones hung this up in their dorm. But, he could keep it in his locker as a reminder of why he stayed in Starfleet Academy and his secret love for their latest poster-boy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by this Tumblr post:
> 
> http://ussmckirk.tumblr.com/post/74352062394/irish-faerie-in-a-heartbeat


	18. Day Eighteen: Doing Something Sweet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A direct continuation of yesterday's prompt, just for NaughtyPastryChef. What happens when Jim finds out about Bones' stolen recruitment poster...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You're getting tomorrow's entry today since I will be swamped all day tomorrow. Sorry in advance for any delayed response to comments.

Bones managed to keep his stolen holo-poster secret for all of a week and a half. Then, he got stuck performing an overnight emergency surgery before his first xenobiology 101 teaching lecture. He had the nurse comm Jim to beg him to bring him his cadet reds. Jim met him in the changing room and handed him the uniform.

“Nervous about your first big lecture, Bones?” Jim asked as Bones barely toweled off from his post-surgery shower.

“Thanks for the uniform, kid. What time is it?” 

“Relax, you got ten minutes.” Bones struggled to dress, not even thinking to shield his locker from Jim’s view.

“So, you think teaching is what you want to do after the Academy?” Jim asked, his arms crossed over his chest, lounging on the changing room bench as Bones struggled into his pants, his legs still wet from the shower.

“Maybe. I dunno. Have to see how today goes.” Bones shrugged his jacket on and glanced in his locker mirror to comb his hair. He caught sight of the contra-band holo-poster. His stomach dropped before looking over his shoulder to find Jim studying his feet. No way to tell if Jim saw the poster or not. Bones did not have time to worry about it right now. He slammed the locker door and took off.

That afternoon, he came home to his dorm to find a life-sized version of Jim’s recruitment holo-poster spread across his bunk. The original said, in bright white letters, “I want you for Starfleet Academy.” But Jim had crossed out the words Starfleet Academy and written “my CMO” in his painstaking, child-like script.

“How’d the lecture go, Bonesy?” Jim bounced into their dorm, gnawing on an apple. Bones shrugged, still staring at the poster.

“If you’d wanted a signed one, all you had to do is ask.” Jim stood next to him, nudging his shoulder. “So, how about it, Bones? Be my CMO?”

“All you had to do is ask, kid.”


	19. Day Nineteen:  Wearing Kiguriumis

“Nope. Not going to happen.” Bones turned for the door. “I’m not wearin’ that.”

“Would you rather be the pink unicorn?” Jim asked, holding out the plush costume.

“Neither. I do not want to be either the pink unicorn or the purple dragon.” Bones answered, his arms crossed over his chest.

“You promised you’d help me make Noelle’s birthday magical. Don’t you want to be a good uncle?”

“I am a good uncle.” Bones wondered at his life when he was arguing with his lover over who was the better uncle to their part-Vulcan niece. It must be the Uhura part of her that loved these silly characters because he could not imagine Spock watching kids TV, even for his daughter. He sighed heavily. Just like Jim, Bones would do anything for that kid. And if what she had her precious little heart set on was the entire bridge crew dressed up as…

“What are these things again?”

“Sparkleponies. It’s a kids show about a little girl who lives with mythical creatures. You’re the dragon named Rainbow-Star-Cloud.”

“I suppose that explains the explosion of pink and purple in here. And the glitter.”

“You haven’t even seen your glittery dragon talons yet!” Jim helped him into the costume and placed the sparkling shoes at his feet. Bones then helped his boyfriend get dressed as a pink unicorn. Damn but these costumes were hot—like being wrapped in a thermal blanket outside in Atlanta in August. They were joined by the rest of the bridge crew—dressed as a range of plush, furry, unidentifiable creatures, none of which appeared to be an actual pony-- who all trooped out entertain the crowd at Noelle’s birthday party in Spock and Uhura’s plush San Francisco apartment. Before they could make their entrance, Spock stopped them in the hall.

“Doctor, your sparkle shoes are on backwards. Noelle will surely notice if every detail is not correct.” Bones changed the shoes around, rolling his eyes so hard that he almost sprained them. Jim or Spock could not be more ridiculous if they tried. They were so serious about this. Like it was goddamn Shakespeare instead of a glitter horse…no wait.

“SPARKLEPONIES!” Noelle shrieked when they strode in, her little face lighting up. The wonder and joy on her face made it all worth it. Even including the sparkling dragon talons.


	20. Day Twenty: Dancing

“I can’t dance.” As usual, Jim burst into their room like he was shot from a canon and proceeded to dump his PADDs on his desk, toe off his shoes, and start stripping off his uniform within ten seconds. 

“I’ve seen you dance at every club we’ve ever been in.” Bones answered absently as he flipped through class notes on his PADD. 

“I meant, like you know, the other kind.”

“Like waltzing? Why would you need to know ballroom dancing?” Bones asked, certain that he didn’t even want to know the answer.

“Diplomatic skill. It’s a command track thing.” Jim’s voice was slightly muffled by the undershirt he was currently pulling over his head—not that Bones snuck a peek at Jim’s deliciously toned and tanned torso or anything.

“If Starfleet thinks you waltzing is so diplomatic and all, they probably have a class for that.”

“They do but I don’t want to take it. It’d put me behind.” Dressed again in worn jeans and a Starfleet Academy t-shirt, Jim flopped down on the bed, folding his hands behind his head.

“Still determined to show off and do it in three years?” Bones shook his head. “Go on and take the class. You’ll like it.”

“Do you know how to waltz?”

“I grew up in Georgia. Of course…” Too late, Bones saw where the damn tactical genius kid was going with this. “Hell no, I’m not teaching you to dance.”

Even as he said it, Bones knew that the kid would wear him down eventually. Jim wheedled and begged and pleaded for Bones to teach him—just one dance. He promised to cook every night for a month, do Bones’ laundry, anything to get him to teach him. Although Bones knew how to dance practically since the cradle, he couldn’t imagine a better designed torture for him—holding Jim close in his arms, not able to go any further. There was only so much temptation one man could endure. He held out as long as possible but he never could resist Jim, especially when he turned on the full charm juggernaut. Bones didn’t really stand a chance.

“Fine. One dance.” Bones finally agreed three days later, worn out and exhausted from studying for and then taking his own midterms followed by grading his students. Jim smiled brilliantly and hopped up from the sofa. “Not now, you infant. I’ll teach you over Spring Break. And if you ever breathe a word of this outside this room, I’ve got a hypo with your name on it.”

The next week, as Chopin poured from their sound system, he and Jim stood facing each other as Bones struggled to teach him how to count the steps. Then came the moment that Bones had been both dreading and anticipating since Jim first pestered him to teach him the waltz. He pulled Jim into his arms, joining his left hand with Jim’s right, wrapping his right arm around Jim’s back and pulling him close, far closer than platonic roommates stood together. This close, because they were nearly identical heights, Jim’s warm breath ghosted over Bones’ cheek. If he inclined his head just a tiny bit, Bones could finally capture that tempting mouth that tormented him in his dreams. Instead, he stepped forward but Jim didn’t back up so they ended up pressed together from shoulder to waist. 

“Wait, I need to learn how to lead.” Jim said, stepping forward and accidentally kicking Bones in the ankle. 

“I only know how to lead.” Bones said, his ankle smarting from Jim’s toes. They struggled for dominance for a bit before Bones gave in and let Jim steer him around. Eventually, with a lot of practice, sore toes, and complaining, Jim managed to test out of his dancing class and Bones managed to drown his inconvenient desire in several stiff drinks.

Only a year later, Jim used his waltzing skills to steer his new husband around the dance floor at their wedding.


	21. Day Twenty-One: Spooning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim takes care of Bones...

Bones was a fantastic doctor and a horrible patient. Thankfully, he got sick only very rarely. After the ship visited Nilbog to hammer out a Federation trade treaty, nearly the entire Enterprise crew came down with a vicious Nilbogian virus akin to the common cold. Somehow, Jim, the person with the wonkiest immune system on the ship, managed to resist it. Bones was not so lucky.

“The minute I’m better, I’m inventing a vaccine. We defeated the common cold a century ago.” Bones sneezed loudly and fussed with a tissue to blow his nose before continuing, “We weren’t meant to suffer like this.”

Despite really wanting to request a shore leave to the next penal colony rather than cope with Bones in full grumpy bear mode, Jim patiently took care of him. He brought Bones chicken noodle soup and hot tea with honey. He rubbed Bones’ chest and back with a disgusting smelling salve concocted by the lunatic Scotsman he called a Chief Engineer. He tidied the room and slept on the sofa, giving Bones full use of the big plush Captain’s bed for days. Bones just got grumpier as the days went on.

“Can’t you just hypo me into unconsciousness?” Bones whined on the third day.

“M’Benga said no. Could suppress your breathing too much.” Jim patted his shoulder as Bones coughed.

“Damn quack.” Bones grumbled. 

“He’s the second best doctor on the ship.” Jim laughed. After making Bones eat some broth and sip some weak tea, Jim flipped on a old 21st century movie that Bones loved. Jim found it nearly incomprehensible with all the elves and the dwarves and the horses. He also didn’t see the point of walking for three movies straight toward a mountain to toss in a ring. But Bones loved these stories. Jim sat behind him on the bed, propping his fevered and cranky boyfriend against his chest and covering them both with blankets.

“What’re you doing?” Bones asked suspiciously.

“Spooning you.”

“I’m not a child…”

“Coulda fooled me! Here, rest your head on my chest. You’ll feel better.” Bones shifted down in the bed so that he could rest the back of his head on Jim’s ribcage and Jim wrapped his arms around him. He turned his head to watch the holo-screen, placing his ear over Jim’s heartbeat, and fell asleep before the Frodo and Samwise even made it out of the Shire. Ten hours later, Bones awoke, feeling much better, to a fast asleep Jim as the credits rolled on.


	22. Day Twenty-Two: Cosplaying

“Explain to me again how this is not the same as Halloween?” Bones demanded when Scotty briefed the command crew on the status of the plans for the first Enterprise cosplay party. 

“Lad, it’s more like acting. You have to get the costume right for the character you’re playing as well as play the role.” 

“Still sounds like Halloween to me. And remember last year’s Halloween party? No? Well, I do. Ended up workin’ double shifts in medbay after that ensign spiked the punch…”

“Okay, Bones, don’t be a Grinch.” Jim patted his boyfriend’s arm.

“That’s Christmas.” 

“Don’t be Vulcan. I expect everyone on the command staff to participate.” Jim shot a stern look at Bones which did nothing to placate the doctor. “Scotty, fill us in on the rest of the details.”

Since no amount of pleading with Jim would get him out of the party, Bones finally decided to go all out. He rigged himself up a sonic screwdriver from some broken hyposprays, pulled out his best blue pinstriped suit, and borrowed Sulu’s trench coat. He messed up his hair and decided that, on the whole, he looked pretty close to the Tenth Doctor. Taking advantage of he and Jim being on different shifts, Bones even watched Ten’s whole run on Doctor Who again, just to be sure he had the mannerisms down pat. 

No matter how he begged, Jim would not give Bones a hint of his own planned costume. In retaliation, Bones wouldn’t tell Jim what he planned to wear. The day of the party, Jim spent more time in medbay pestering Bones about his costume than he did on the bridge and still, the good doctor refused to budge. 

That night, he dressed and wandered down to the recreation deck. He admired everyone’s costumes but couldn’t find Jim anywhere. He laughed when the Doctor Who theme came on, twirling in his trench coat to take a bow then he noticed some redshirts from Engineering wheeling in a rather familiar blue box. 

“It’s the Tardis.” Chekov cried, sounding like a kid spotting Santa at Christmas. After the Tardis was placed in the center of the floor, Jim popped out, dressed in a red fez and a bow tie.

“He’s you. Or you’re him!” Chekov cried, pointing and giggling.

“Yeah, but he doesn’t have a sonic screwdriver.” Bones made his way through the crowd to stand in front of Jim who gaped at him before they both started laughing. 

“Guess all those Doctor Who marathons at the Academy were worth it!” Jim giggled, as he hugged Bones. 

“Yeah, Jim but I gotta wonder. Is your Tardis bigger on the inside?” Bones whispered. 

Jim took his hand and pulled him into the tiny box, shutting the door behind them. “We have supply closets in medbay bigger than this.” Bones groused.

“Yeah, but let me show you what does get bigger in here.” 

“That is a terrible innuendo!” Bones laughed as Jim kissed him deeply. After a loud knock on the door, they both peeked out to find Scotty, dressed as a Dalek, peering at them.

“You two lads better run! I’ll give you a five second head start.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am working my way through the re-booted Doctor Who series and am still with Doctor Nine. Sorry if this is totally off-base here.


	23. Day Twenty-Three: Cooking/Baking

Midway through their second week at the Academy, Bones opened his dorm room door to the enticing scent of roasted chicken. Due to Bones’ status as a graduate student, he landed a studio apartment, complete with a tiny kitchenette. Jim, initially assigned to a room with three roommates, shamelessly moved himself in during the first week. To keep Bones from tossing him out on his ear, he’d made himself as useful as possible by helping Bones unpack and settle in. Now, it seemed he’d extended his usefulness to meal preparation.

“You can cook?” 

“You tell me.” Jim gestured to their tiny table, laden with a simple meal of perfectly browned roast chicken, mashed potatoes flecked with black pepper, and sautéed green beans sprinkled with sliced almonds.

Bones sat down and piled his plate as Jim took the chair across from him, their knees pressed together under the cramped table top. He took a cautious bite, letting the flavors of lemon, rosemary, and perfectly roasted chicken explode over his tongue. Yes, indeed, the kid could cook. 

“Where’d you learn to cook?”

“After my mom went into the black, if I wanted to eat, I had to cook. I figured might as well learn to make it good. I learned mostly from watching old Julia Child videos.” 

Bones wolfed down another bite of delicious chicken and mashed potatoes. “Who’s Julia Child?”

“Seriously, Bones?” Jim chattered about the twentieth century American who ended up learning to cook in Paris when her State Department husband was assigned there while Bones helped himself to seconds. “She was amazing. She’d drop the food on the floor, set things on fire, whatever and just keep going in the face of disaster. My kinda lady, you know?”

“You didn’t drop this chicken on the floor, did you?” Bones asked suspiciously but still shoveling it in as it was too good not to enjoy.

Jim laughed and shook his head. “You’ve really never heard of her? Can you cook?”

“I grew up in a house with three women—my momma and two sisters. They would never let me and Daddy near the kitchen. I do know how to wield a mean dish towel though. Daddy washed. I dried. And Pamela—my ex-wife—was just the same. Cooking was just honestly not something I was ever interested in, you know? Though I do like to eat.”

“Yeah, I get that. You can do the dishes then.” Jim winked. “I also worked in several restaurants. I can make a mean burrito and pretty good lasagne.”

“I guess that’s on next week’s menu?” Bones raised an eyebrow at him. 

“So, if I cook, I can stay?” Jim laughed, taking a bite of chicken.

Damn kid reminded him of a woebegone stray puppy half the time. He could understand not wanting to live in cramped conditions with three eighteen year old strangers. Bones sighed and nodded, knowing he’d lost this battle before he even started. “I think I’m getting used to you, kid.”


	24. Day Twenty-Four: One of their Birthdays

Bones loved mysteries. Jim supposed it made sense, in a weird way. As a doctor, part of the job entailed solving medical mysteries and everyone knew Bones was a fantastic doctor. Bones read mystery stories, watched holo mysteries, and always chose a mystery movie for their holo-vid nights. Bones would usually solve the crime twenty minutes in but Jim never could. 

By the time they’d celebrated over a decade of birthdays together, Jim had already tapped all the obvious mystery lover gifts. Bones already possessed a deerstalker, a magnifying glass, and every mystery classic Jim could find. They’d even done a murder mystery dinner theatre night on board the Enterprise the year before. Jim spent weeks in the Captain’s chair, staring out at the stars, trying to come up with a perfect and unique gift for Bones’ 40th birthday. A desultory discussion between Sulu and Chekov finally inspired him.

“I don’t know any game named Clue. My family had Cluedo.”

“That’s the same game. Miss Scarlet in St. Basil’s with the v-rench.” Chekov nodded. “We had the Moscow version.”

“What’s the murder weapon in that? Icicles?”

“There are different versions of the game Clue?” Jim interrupted to ask.

“Yes, Keptin. They have them for cities, for holo-characters…”

“We could make Bones an Enterprise one!” Jim jumped from the chair, the brilliance of the idea energizing him. 

Though it took several weeks of work, and much assistance from both Scotty and Chekov, Jim finally developed the game board, the murder weapons, and the little pieces along with the matching cards. After he presented his gift, he didn’t expect to be stuck playing the game at Bones’ birthday bash into the wee hours with his First Officer and his CMO.

“It would be highly illogical for Captain Kirk to commit the murder in medbay. Plus, using a phaser…”

“It’s not logic, Spock. It’s process of elimination.” Bones argued back. “Anyway, it’s Scotty in the mess hall with a hypospray.”

“That’s not possible, Doctor…” 

Jim flopped over on the sofa. They both ignored their melodramatic Captain in favor of arguing over the game. There went Jim’s plans of playing strip Clue with Bones all night. He ended up dozing off as Spock and Bones set up for another round.


	25. Day Twenty-Five: Staring into each other's eyes

His whole life, people remarked on Jim’s beautiful eyes. The electric blue color marked him as a Kirk, his father’s son, though he got the shape and his lush eyelashes from his mom. But otherwise, Jim never saw what all the fuss was about. To him, his eyes were just boring blue. 

Then, he met Bones. And spent hours trying to catalogue all the colors in Bone’s eyes. Sometimes, they were brown as newly turned earth. Bones’ eyes reminded him of his favorite things like strong coffee or really good chocolate. If he wore just the right shade of blue, they looked amber, like candlelight shining through bourbon. And sometimes, they reminded Jim of forest shaded pools, a deep mossy green. 

Up close, flecks of honey, obsidian, azure became visible, like a kaleidoscope tumbling into focus. Whenever Bones would let him cuddle close, Jim would stare, reflexively naming the colors he found there. Chocolate, navy, indigo, moss… 

“What are you staring at this time?” Bones asked as he watched a holovid and Jim laid in his lap.

“Just finding all the colors.”

“What?”

“You’re eyes are so beautiful.” And Jim decided that Bones’ adorable blush just served to prove his point.


	26. Day Twenty-Six: Genderswapped

Bones was never a girly-girl. Jim happened to think his best friend was gorgeous and certainly feminine. But, she could take charge of a trauma team in the blink of an eye, took absolutely zero bullshit from anyone, and could drink Jim Kirk under the table. Dainty and girly she was not. 

She relentlessly and mercilessly shot him down from the day they met on the shuttle. As the years of their friendship stretched on, Jim’s crush only deepened. But Bones never seemed to notice. 

On their first shore leave from the Enterprise, the bridge crew all checked in to a Risian pleasure spa, all of them needing the rest and relaxation from their six months in deep space. Free from the ship, Jim was finally going to admit his feelings. Finally going to tell Bones that she was the one for him. Jim Kirk, the Casanova of Starfleet Academy, was a nervous wreck.

He knocked on the door of her room and, after she called come in, strode into the decadent suite to find Bones indulging in a starlight bubble bath, in front of a wide bank of windows nearly obscured by the fragrant steam curling from the tub, candles and the double moons providing the only illumination in the room. She stood in the tub, letting the water and bubbles cascade down her back as she reached for a towel, and wrapped it around her. 

“Are you here for my massage?” Bones asked before glancing over her shoulder. “Jim!”

“Bones…”Jim rasped, mesmerized at the way the water droplets sprinkled over her perfect, freckled shoulders and slipped in beads down her shapely legs. Bones stepped out of the tub and padded across the room to him. 

“Everything ok, Jim? I’ve got several more beauty treatments booked so…” She smiled up at him, the warm scent of Risian moonflowers drifting up from her skin to entice Jim to madness. 

“You’re plenty beautiful enough already, Bones.” Jim whispered, leaning forward to capture her full, lush mouth with his own. She froze for a second and then softened into the kiss. He skimmed his palms over the soft skin of her shoulders, pressing her against him, not caring as her still bath-damp skin soaked the front of his shirt. She broke the kiss.

“Wanted you do to that for a while, darlin.” 

“Why didn’t you say anything, Bones?” Jim wrestled his breathing under control from the intensity of their kiss, pressing his forehead against hers.

“Didn’t think you were interested.” Bones groaned, wrapping her arms around him. He scooped her up and carried her to the wide plush bed, overlooking the beach. 

And rolled over, to fall out of his narrow Captain’s bunk on the Enterprise, and awoke with a cold jolt. If only shore leave would really go that well….


	27. Day Twenty-Seven: Getting Married

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Please note: Today's tags are 1) Angst with a happy ending and 2) terminal illness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is very angsty. It does end happily but it’s an angst filled ride. Trigger warnings for terminal illness (xenopolythemia).

Surprisingly, Bones and Jim rarely fought. They bickered and disagreed daily, often taking the opposite viewpoint just to irritate each other. But, when it came to the big, relationship stuff, in general, they were in perfect accord. 

Except for marriage. 

Bones, having been scorched the first time around, never, ever planned on getting married again. Jim wanted to make their relationship official but, after getting turned down repeatedly, eventually stopped asking. They adored each other and made each other happy. They didn’t need a ceremony to ensure they’d be together forever, to give them their happily ever after.

So, no one was more shocked than Jim when Bones proposed, down on one knee and everything, in the tiny aft observation deck, two years into their five year mission. Jim immediately stammered his acceptance and arranged the ceremony—with Spock officiating—as quickly as possible. After all, he didn’t want to give Bones time to change his mind.

Nearly a month after their impromptu wedding, M’Benga summoned Jim to sickbay because Bones passed out during his shift and hit his head. As he and M’Benga stood by the biobed containing an unconscious Bones, a wide laceration across his forehead where he’d banged into a table on his way down, M’Benga said, “With his condition, this will happen more and more frequently. His records show you as next of kin. Have you all made any arrangements?”

“Arrangements? Condition?” Jim parroted.

“For the xenopolythemia.” M’Benga answered and then, seeing a poleaxed Jim grip the side of the biobed to keep from falling to his knees, he continued, “I see you weren’t aware, Captain. It’s incurable and terminal.”

“How long?” Jim whispered through lips gone numb with shock.

“He’s got maybe six months, three good ones if he’s lucky. I’m so sorry, Captain.” M’Benga squeezed Jim’s shoulder.

“How long has he known?” Jim asked.

“Long enough to know you married a dead man.” Bones rasped from the bed. Jim looked into his hazel eyes, mostly brown now and hazy with pain. M’Benga tactfully disappeared, leaving the privacy shields in place.

“That’s why you changed your mind. About marrying me.” Jim said. “And here I thought it was because you loved me.

“I’ve always loved you, darlin.’ I married you for selfish reasons. Wanted to make you my next of kin— to have the right to make medical decisions for me. And to inherit my Starfleet benefits. And to bury me.”

“I’m not burying you, Doctor McCoy.” Jim turned on his heel. He had to escape, to think, to plan. He was not going to lose his Bones.

“Jimmy, there’s no cure. No point in torturing yourself about it.” 

“I don’t believe in no-win scenarios.” Jim strode from the room, tamping down on his hurt, fear, and anger and pushing away the panic that threatened to overtake him. There would be time for those inconvenient emotions later, after he’d cured Bones. 

After consultations with Sarek proved both fruitless and maddening, Jim and Spock broke into a classified Starfleet hanger to wake a madman. They dragged Khan back aboard the Enterprise and followed Bones’ notes to make the serum. By this time, Bones was barely hanging on by a thread and the serum knocked him into a coma. Spock and Jim refroze and replaced Khan, hoping no one would be the wiser.

Jim took up a vigil next to Bones’ bed. A few weeks later, tests confirmed that Bones was free of the disease and just days later he woke to find Jim, sitting by his bed, spinning his platinum wedding band around his finger idly.

“You did it, Jimmy.” Bones blinked and smiled at him. “I still feel awful but I feel less awful.”

“Now that you’re going to live, if I were a less selfish man, I’d let you go. But Bones, you must know by now that I don’t give up what’s mine. And you are mine.”

“Always, darlin.” Jim leaned over the biobed to press a kiss against his husband’s lips.


	28. Day Twenty-Eight: During Their Morning Ritual

For Bones, never a morning person, coffee—strong and black—was the most essential thing about his morning ritual. As a medical student, he learned the knack of sleeping anywhere, dropping off to sleep in a moment and waking up just as fast. He never lost that talent. But, if it were just a regular old wake-up, on what passed for an ordinary day in the Kirk-McCoy household, rather than the adrenaline jolting rousing of an Enterprise or Starfleet emergency, coffee was Bones’ first order of the day.

Jim, always a lark, never developed the taste for coffee—too bitter and too dark for someone as sunny as him. Once he enrolled in the Academy, Jim started his day with a morning jog. Nearly nothing woke him better than a sunrise jog, watching the sun peek over the bay, sending shimmering ribbons of peach and crimson across the water. In space, he’d jog down the halls of his beloved and precious ship before most of the crew woke, just spending time with the only lady in his life.

Once they became a couple, Jim learned to brew coffee—real coffee, an indulgence as it was exorbitantly expensive—to bring to Bones, placing the fragrant brew on the nightstand to entice the quilt and blanket burrito that was a sleeping Bones to cranky half-wakefulness. 

If they had to dash off to duty, Bones would grumpily roll to sit against the headboard, sipping his coffee with his eyes shut, listening to Jim energetically chatter away as he got ready for his day. Bones had agreed to any number of insane plans this way as he dozed and Jim took full advantage of his lover’s sleep addled state.

If they didn’t have to dash off to start their days, Jim found much better ways to work out in the morning and Bones could even be convinced to forgo—or at least delay— his morning coffee on special occasions. Jim also saw the benefit of sleeping in those days while Bones could transform into a morning person. Everyone knew that compromise was the key to a successful relationship, after all.


	29. Day Twenty-Nine: In Battle, Side By Side

“Bones, stay back.” Jim shifted to block Bones, pushing him behind him, as the opposing team rushed towards them. Bones shifted forward and slammed his hip into Jim, knocking him sideways into the wall. He raised his weapon and rushed toward the other team, firing with precision. He knocked out all five opponents single handedly. Bones ripped his mask off and turned toward a stunned Jim. 

“Where’d you learn to shoot like that, Doctor McCoy?” Jim demanded in a deadly voice.

“Grew up in Georgia, kid. You think I never played paintball before?” Bones strode over to the exit, dumping his paint gun into the return slot and slamming out of the holo-deck. Jim helped the other team to their feet, disabling their kill sensors before following the paint spatter trail behind Bones. He caught up with him in the showers.

“You’ve turned down every offer to play paintball with me for years and…”

“Not my favorite game, kid.” Bones stuck his head under the spray and Jim did his best to ignore the rainbow of colors mixing with the water spilling over Bones’ perfect skin, outlining the defined muscles the doctor hid beneath his uniform.

“But Bones…”

“But Bones nothing. I said I’d play one round with you—when no one else would. You owe me, kid.”

“We could make the Academy team together. Go out for the intramurals. You’ve got mad skills—you could teach me. That move you did at the end…”

“Flattery will get you nowhere, James Kirk. I don’t have time to play on the Academy Intramural Team. Damn bunch of infants.” Bones flung his towel over his head and rubbed his hair. Jim took the opportunity to enjoy a fuller view of Bones’ naked body. “And you better pay up. You owe me laundry for a month and three home-cooked meals. I want your chicken, lasagne, and those little meatballs you make.”

“I’ll make them every day if you’d just consider…” 

Bones tossed his towel on the floor and pulled his clothes out of the gym locker. Jim tried not to ogle his perfect bottom as he stepped into his briefs.

“Nope.” Bones said flatly as he dressed. “Nope. Not happening.”

He waved to Jim and headed out of the showers. As Jim stripped out of his paint spattered clothes, he began strategizing into how to talk Bones into joining the team. They would be great together…


	30. Day Thirty: Doing Something Hot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim and Bones reflect on the intensity of their relationship…
> 
> (Kicked the rating up to mature, just in case).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe it's the last day! Thank you all so much for all your comments and kudos. I treasure every single one!

Even after having been together for three years, Jim can still surprise Bones. 

Just that morning, he’d climbed onto a still sleeping Bones, waking him with tiny kisses along his collarbone and neck until Bones cracked open his eyes. Just as he woke fully, grousing about energetic morning people, Jim lowered himself onto Bones rigid length. Instinctively, Bones raised his hands to Jim’s hips to help with balance. Jim kissed him and then leaned back, bracing himself on Bones’ thighs, so that Bones could watch himself disappearing into Jim. Jim reached behind himself, easily keeping his balance, and wrapped his hand around the base of Bones cock, stroking firmly, in counterpoint to his downward thrusts. Bones writhed up into him, pressing his head back on the pillow, closing his eyes against the intensity of the sensations. 

Jim immediately stopped. “Oh, no, Bones. You have to watch.”

Bones shook his head on the pillow, nearly undone from the intensity of the twin sensation of Jim’s body clenched around him as his hand firmly stroked him. Jim just leaned forward, pressing tiny kisses along Bones throat, as he patiently waited for Bones to open his eyes. Two could play at that game. Bones shifted his hands from Jim’s hips to cup his balls and run his hand over Jim’s cock. Jim’s hips rocked forward, stuttering. 

“I’m watching, darlin.’” Bones whispered as he opened his eyes.

Jim arched back up, his hand twisting on Bones’ shaft, the other braced on the sheets for balance. Bones rubbed his own fingers over the head of Jim’s cock, just the way he knew he liked it, and Jim thrust down fully, letting Bones brush over his prostate. Jim alternated thrusting down and stroking Bones until his vision whited out and he slammed up into Jim, his lust and need and love for Jim pouring out of him in a white-hot rush. Seconds later, Jim crested all over him, a warm pool on his belly.

Jim collapsed on top of him, pressing kisses along his shoulder, before rolling away. Bones followed him into the shower, which resulted in a lazy morning blow job for the captain before their shift. 

Bones walked to the medbay, reflecting on the morning with a grin on his face. From the terrified looks from his nursing staff, he really needed to remember to smile more. They all looked like he’d gone space mad and would kill them all. He wandered into his office but couldn’t seem to find the concentration for his work. All he could think of was Jim, like a love-starved teenager. They’d been together for three years. This lovestruck bit was getting ridiculous.

With Pamela, his longest other relationship before Jim, the sex had been fine, good even, on occasion. But, probably as a symptom of the decay of the rest of their marriage, it became less frequent and definitely more vanilla as time went on. He’d been young once and had some wild times in high school and college, even a few steady girlfriends, but nothing like the length of time he’d been with Jim. And they just kept getting hotter together. 

Possibly it was the familiarity. Both of them knew what the other liked and could use their knowledge to indulge in quickies all over the ship. Using his best Southern drawl along with some creative “legendary hands” motions, Bones could bring Jim to orgasm in less than a minute, if he had to. They could, and did, also spend hours together, wringing every last drop of pleasure from each other. 

He also thought that the frequency should have diminished after three years together. They rarely went more than a day without making love, unless there was some shipboard crisis or Jim was injured, again. And those times that they had to restrain themselves made them even more intense when they were finally able to be together again.

If Bones were a romantic, which no matter what delusion Jim spouted Bones was certainly NOT, he would say that the sex was so good between them because they were in love. Like deeply, madly, truly, crazy, written on the stars, epic in love. And Bones knew that to be true. If he believed in a concept like soul mates, which he didn’t, he would say that Jim was his. 

The only other reason for their incandescence together was that they constantly lived on the knife blade of danger, especially his beloved Jim. They loved like there was no tomorrow because there was always the chance they wouldn’t have another day. But, they were surrounded by other Starfleet living on the edge type couples who didn’t seem to share the bond that he and Jim did.

Finally, after puzzling over it all day, Bones decided to ask Jim, as he settled onto the sofa in their chambers after their (thankfully non-eventful) shift.

“We’ve been together three years. And the sex is just more intense all the time.”

“You complaining?”

“No. I just think it’s unusual. I hear stories of other couples and the passion fades with time. But not us.”

“If anything, we’re the opposite.” Jim nodded, “It’s not how I thought it would be, being in a relationship. Was it…was it like this with you and Pamela?”

“No. Not even close.”

“Maybe it’s our age or that we’re both men…I’m not sure. I know that I love it. I don’t want it to stop but if it did, you’d still be the one for me.”

“Maybe that’s it. We’re each other’s one.”

“Thought you didn’t believe in stuff like that, Bonesy.” Jim put his head on Bones’ shoulder and snuggled close.

“I don’t. But I didn’t believe in half the stuff we’ve seen so far so…” Bones shrugged. 

“I love you.” Jim whispered, before straddling his lap and kissing him deeply. “Now take off your clothes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please check out my other current WIP, Fly Me to the Moon, that is posting now. After that is finished, I'll be posting my very long Academy era story. 
> 
> Also, feel free to visit me at Tumblr: 
> 
> http://corrie71.tumblr.com
> 
> Or at Livejournal:  
> http://corrie71.livejournal.com
> 
> Thanks again for reading!


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